1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an Internet-enabled fuel dispenser environment, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus adapted for use at an Internet-enabled dispenser position which utilize a card encoded with the Internet address of a customer e-mail messaging account to access the server hosting the e-mail account web site, download any e-mail messages to the dispenser position, and view the downloaded messages while the refueling transaction takes place.
2. Description of the Related Art
Current advances in networking technology have made it possible to deploy internet access technology at various commercial sites in order to provide the customer with the opportunity to conduct transactions over the internet. It would also be advantageous if this internet access featured the ability to perform the various communications tasks that have attracted widespread usage of the internet, such as sending and receiving e-mails. However, it is not feasible for commercial sites such as fuel dispensers to simply import into the service station environment the familiar consumer technology that is typically used to implement an e-mail functionality, namely, a personal computer with a keyboard.
According to the present invention there is provided a method and apparatus for enabling a customer requesting a refueling transaction in a fuel dispenser environment to access the Internet at the fuel dispenser position and retrieve electronic messages from a server hosting the e-mail messaging account, as specified by an Internet address furnished by the customer. In a preferred form, a data storage device provided in the form of a portable card-type mechanism is encoded with a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element that specifies the Internet location of the e-mail account. The retrieved e-mail messages are downloaded by the server to the requester client machine (e.g., the computing device at the Internet-enabled dispenser position) and then presented for viewing on a suitable multi-media display.
The invention, in one form thereof, is directed to a system for use in a fuel dispenser environment. The system comprises, in combination, a connection facility enabling connection to a communications network; a data means for providing at least one resource identifier each specifying a host resource in the communications network; an access means, operatively coupled to the connection facility, for accessing the host resource specified by a one of the at least one resource identifier and for receiving information retrieved therefrom; and a means for viewing information received by the access means. The information retrieved from an accessed host resource comprises electronic messages.
In one form, the at least one resource identifier further includes at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element. The communications network further includes the Internet, while the host resource associated with each resource identifier further includes at least one server. Each resource identifier preferably corresponds to an e-mail messaging account.
The data means, in one form, further comprises in combination a device containing at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element, and a retrieval mechanism to retrieve the at least one URL data element from the device. The device further includes a card encoded with an Internet Protocol (IP) address of an e-mail account.
In another form, the data means further comprises in combination a card encoded with a network address of an e-mail account, and a reader to retrieve the network address from the card. The card preferably relates to a financial service and is adapted to contain the network address of the e-mail account.
The invention, in another form thereof, is directed to a system for use in a fuel dispenser environment having a plurality of dispenser positions. The system includes a connection means for enabling connection to a communications network. Each dispenser position respectively comprises, in combination, a mechanism to provide at least one resource identifier each specifying a host resource in the communications network, an access device to access the host resource specified by a one of the at least one resource identifier and to receive information retrieved therefrom, and a viewer to view information received by the access device. The information retrieved from an accessed host resource comprises electronic messages.
In a preferred form, the at least one resource identifier further includes at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element. Additionally, the communications network further includes the Internet, while the host resource associated with each resource identifier further includes at least one server. Each resource identifier preferably corresponds to an e-mail messaging account.
The mechanism of each respective dispenser position further comprises, in combination, a device containing at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element, and a retrieval mechanism to retrieve the at least one URL data element from the device. The device further includes a card encoded with an Internet Protocol (IP) address of an e-mail account.
Alternatively, the mechanism of each respective dispenser position includes, in combination, a card encoded with a network address of an e-mail account, and a reader to retrieve the network address from the card. The card is preferably a payment-type device adapted to contain the network address of the e-mail account.
The viewer enables viewing of e-mail messages retrieved from the e-mail account by operation of the access device using the network address.
The invention, in another form thereof, is directed to an apparatus for use in combination with a fuel dispenser environment and a communications network. The apparatus includes, in combination, a connection device to connect to the communications network; a mechanism to provide at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element each specifying a host resource in the communications network; an access device to access the host resource specified by a one of the at least one resource identifier and to receive information retrieved therefrom; and a viewer operatively coupled to the access device. The retrieved information comprises electronic messages.
The mechanism, in one form thereof, further includes in combination a portable storage device containing the at least one URL data element, and a retrieval device to retrieve the at least one URL data element from the portable storage device.
The mechanism, in another form thereof, includes in combination a card encoded with a network address of an e-mail account, and a reader to retrieve the network address from the card. The card is preferably a payment-type device adapted to contain the network address of the e-mail account.
The invention, in another form thereof, is directed to an apparatus for use in combination-with a fuel dispenser environment and a communications network. The apparatus comprises, in combination, a connection device to connect to the communications network; a card encoded with a network address of an e-mail messaging resource in the communications network; a reader to retrieve the network address from the card; and an access device to access the e-mail messaging resource using the network address and to receive information retrieved therefrom.
The apparatus further includes a viewer to view the information retrieved from the e-mail messaging resource.
The information retrieved from the e-mail messaging resource preferably comprises electronic messages. Additionally, the communications network further includes the Internet, while the network address further includes a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element.
The card is preferably furnished by a customer. Moreover, the card is preferably a finance-related device suitable for use in tendering payment. In one form, the card is one of a credit card and a debit card adapted to have the network address encoded thereon.
The invention, in another form thereof, is directed to a method for use in a fuel dispenser environment having a connection to a communications network. The method involves, in combination, the steps of providing at least one resource identifier each specifying a host resource in the communications network; accessing the host resource specified by a one of the at least one resource identifier; retrieving information from the accessed host resource, the retrieved information comprising electronic messages; and displaying the retrieved information.
The at least one resource identifier further includes at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element. Additionally, the communications network further includes the Internet, while the host resource associated with each resource identifier further includes at least one server.
The indicated step of providing at least one resource identifier further comprises, in combination, the steps of providing a device containing at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element; and retrieving the at least one URL data element from the device. The step of providing a device further includes providing a card encoded with an Internet Protocol (IP) address of an e-mail account.
In another form, the step of providing at least one resource identifier further comprises, in combination, the steps of providing a card-type device encoded with a network address of an e-mail account; and retrieving the network address from the card-type device.
One advantage of the present invention is that the refueling customer need only carry a single card-type mechanism encoded with the URL of the e-mail messaging account in order to acquire access to any e-mail messages.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the URL-encoded card can be simply reprogrammed to specify a different URL if the Internet address of the e-mail account changes.
A further advantage of the invention is that the apparatus for accessing the Internet and downloading the e-mail messages typically requires no modifications to the existing dispenser equipment, other than installation or making space to accommodate an Internet access kiosk.
A further advantage of the invention is that the Internet address of the e-mail account may be encoded onto a customer credit card, enabling the use of the conventional card reader typically installed at a dispenser payment terminal to retrieve the Internet address.
A further advantage of the invention is that the use of a URL-encoded card-type mechanism to facilitate Internet access removes any requirement to install at the dispenser position any data entry mechanism such as a keypad, alphanumeric touch screen, or keyboard that otherwise would be needed to enter the URL information identifying the e-mail account.